Control mechanism for elevators and the like



Oct. 26, 1937. F. MULLER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS AND THE LIKEFiled Sept. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 X E-iedm'ch cliiu ller zwfw.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\f:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\WA\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Jriealeriefi/ willy F. MULLER Filed Sept. 2, 1936CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Patented Oct. 26, 1937Unites STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to control mechanismsand more particularly to control mechanisms for elevators and-othermachines having translatable members adapted to directions betweenpredetermined limits or stations.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved andsimplified control mechanism of this nature which, at all times, issubject to manual control but automatically when the tr reached certainpredetermined positions, thereby to disconnect the me force and cause itto come to rest.

A further object is to p anism of this nature in which the manualcontrol is carried by the tran These and other objects have beenattained by the provision of a control mechanism-including an endwisemovable rod,

nected with a manually ried by the translatable to shift said rodaxially to effective or ineffective. During the power move ment of thetranslatable member the manual control maintains its frictionalconnection with the rod, while the translatable member is movedtherealong, and is available to stop said move-' ment at any desiredtime.

The automatic stopping of the translatable member is efiected by meansof suitable devices carried by the translatable member and adapt-- ed,when the member has reached a predetermined position, to actuatemechanism connected to shift the rod in the direction opposite to thatin which it was manually shifted to render the power drive effective.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description of the invention taken in connection with theannexed drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a rear side tion, partly in section, of theimproved control mechanism, showing, in full lines, the parts in aneutral or stop position and, in dotted lines,

an up position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts manually shifted to aposition the translatable member CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ..-ELEVATORS ANDTHE'LIKE Friederich Miiller, Elizabeth, N. J.; Union County TrustCompany, Elizabeth, N. J., executor of said Friederich Miiller, deceasedApplication s ambelv 2, 1936, Serial No. 99,012

' 17 Claims. (01. 187-43) Fig. 3 is'a sectional view taken substantially0n the line .3 3 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end View of the switch mechanism shown at theleft of Fig.1, with the cover plate removed. y

Fig. 5 is a front View illustrating the improved control device embodiedin an inclined or stair elevator mechanism, the control device beingviewed in a direction opposite to that in Fig. 1. The power means formoving the elevator car is shown diagrammatically and at a reducedscale. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the lined-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the invention as embodied ina vertically movable form of elevator mechanism. 7

Referring more specifically to the drawings th invention is disclosed ascomprising a control member, such forexample, as a rod or tube l slid--ably mounted in fixed bearings 2 and 3 arranged substantially parallelwith the path of movement. (indicated by arrows at) of a power driventranslatable member designated generally as A. Inasmuch as thespecificmeans for translating the member back and forth in opposite directionsforms no part of this invention detailed illustration and descriptionthere is deemed unnec- Thecontrolmember l is connected at -oneend to apowerd-rive control mechanism which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, mayconsist of a conventional cut-out and reversing switch S adaptedselectively to. close or open a forward or up drive electric-circuit-4and a reverse or down drive electric circuit 5. The circuits 4 and 5 areconnected to a suitable prime mover operatively coupled with thetranslatable member A to cause it to'be translated ii -oppositedirections. The circuits; 4 and 5 include pairs of spaced terminals 4?and 5 adapted tobe connected by a contactmember 6 secured upon one endofthe rod-L The contact member 6 is preferably circular, as shown in Fig.4, so as to make contact with the terminals 4 and 5 in allangular'positions of the rod. I 5 When the contact member 6 is shiftedto its intermediate position, as shown in full lines in,

1, both circuits are open and the prime mover will therefore be renderedinefiective to move the member A. V 7 Manual means is provided forshifting the rod axially in either direction selectively to close eitherthe circuit 4 or the circuit 5. This means I is carried bythetranslatable member A and coms be moved in opposite which will beactuated anslatable member has mber from its driving rovide a controlmechl5 slatable member. 4

or the like, extending actuable member carmember' and adapted render thepower drive eleva to cause movement of downwardly as shown prises a handlever I fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a stud 8 secured to themember A. At one end the lever 'I carries a hand grasp 9 and at theother end it is pivotally connected with the upper end of a second leverI fulcrumed at II on a housing I2 secured to the member A, as by screwsIS. The lower end of the lever I0 carries a stud I4 fitted within anaperture I5 formed in one side of a metallic sleeve I6 slidably mountedwithin the housing I2 and surrounding the control.

member I. Within a slightly conical bore I6 in the sleeve I5, isadjustably secured a split bushing I'I having a bore I'I whichfrictionally embraces the control member I. The control member ispreferably circular in cross section and may consist of a rod or tubehaving a hard, smooth and polished outer surface. Such a surface readilymay be obtained by chromium plating.

Inasmuch as the bushing I! must grip the rod I with sufiicient frictionto shift it when the bushing is moved axially and yet be sufficientlyfree thereon to permit the bushing to be moved therealong by power, itis apparent that'to be practical the amount of friction between the twomust be adjusted to a nicety and so maintained under all conditions forgreat periods of time. Therefore not all materials may be used in makingthe bushing. I have found that the best results are obtained when thebushing is made of hard wood, such for example, as hard maple. Thismaterial affords sufficient compressibility and elasticity to maintain asubstantially uniform friction on the rod under all conditions and doesnot show any appreciable amount of wear even when used for great periodsof time. I have also found that the working conditions and wearingqualities are improved when the bushing is impregnated with oil, the oilvery slowly finding its way to the bearing surface and affordingprecisely the right amount of lubrication.

The friction bushing I1 is tapered in the direction of its length andsnugly fits within the bore I B A nut I8, threaded within the sleeve I5and having a shoulder I 9 abutting one end of the bushing, serves toadjust the bushing axially, thereby to vary the degree of frictionbetween the bushing and the rod I. This friction will normally besufliciently great to cause therod I to be shifted axially when thelever 1 is manipulated but sufficiently small to, permit the bushing tobe slid along the rod when the member A is moved by power.

As hereinbefore indicated, this invention provides manual means forinitiating the power movement of the translatable means A and automaticmeans for discontinuing such movement when the member has reachedcertain predetermined positions. This automatic-cut-out comprises leversand 2I pivotally mounted on the fixed bearings 2 and 3 and having innerends 2|] and 2M respectively, adapted to engage collars 22 and 23adjustably secured to the rod I. The outer ends 20 and 2I of the levers20 and 2I are arranged within the path. of travel of actuating membersor lugs 24 and 25 carried by the member A and preferably formed integralwith the housing I2. Thus when the translatable member A reaches apredetermined position, contact of one of the members 24 or 25 with oneof the levers 20 or 2| will, through the action of the lever on itscoacting collar 22 or'23, cause the rod I to be shifted'axially therebyto render the power drive ineffective to translate the mem her A,whereupon it is brought to rest.

Preferably the inner arms of the levers 20 and 2I are materially longerthan their outer arms and thus a relatively small movement of the memberA and the actuating lugs 24 and 25 will effect a materially greatermovement of the rod I in the opposite direction, thereby quicklybreaking the electric circuit 4 or 5 and shifting the contact member 6to a position substantially midway between the pairs of spaced terminals4 and 5 As above indicated, the translatable member A may be anysuitable element, such for example as an elevator car, the power drivetherefor may be an electric motor or other suitable means, and theautomatic control for the power drive may be a reversing or cut-outswitch. In Figs. 5 and 6 the improved control mechanism has beenillustrated as embodied in a stair type elevator mechanisminwhich thecar A is moved in one direction as by means of a suitable cable Cadapted to be wound on a drum D, rotated by a conventional reversibleelectric motor M. The car may be moved in the opposite direction eitherby the motor or by gravity. The manual control mechanism is carried by.the car, the actuating lever thereof being indicated by the numeral I.The power drive control means is indicated as a switch S adapted to beautomatically actuated by axial movement of the rod I to break thecircuit to the motor whenever the car reaches either of twopredetermined positions.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the elevator car A,comprising a back board 26 and seats 21 and 28 carried thereby, issupported upon rollers 29 which track within a channel member 30extending lengthwise of the stairway T. The control rod I also extendslengthwise of the channel 30 between the channel and the sidewall of thestairway which latter is indicated by the line- 111. The automatic stopdevices comprising the levers 20 and 2| and the collars 22 and 23 arearranged adjacent the opposite ends of the rod so as to bring the car torest automatically when it has reached a position at either the top orthe bottom of the stairway.

As indicated in Fig. '7 this control mechanism is also adaptable toelevators which are moved vertically to a plurality of floors orstations, the various floors being designated by the letters a, b,'c, d,and e.

In this embodiment of the invention it may be desirable tocounterbalance the control rod I. This readily may be accomplished bythe use of a counterweight 3| attached to the rod I by a cable 32 passedover suitable rollers 33 and 34.

In this embodiment of the invention it may be desirable to place thecontrol switch S at the lower end of the rod I.

Referring now to Fig. 1 and considering that the control device isembodied in an elevator mechanism as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 andthat the car is at rest intermediate its two extreme positions, theoperation of the device is as follows: Should the operator desire tomove the car upwardly he grasps the handle 9 and shifts the lever 'Iclockwise as viewed in Fig. 5 or, as viewed in Fig. 1, counter-clockwisefrom its full line position to its dotted line position. This will swingthe lever I I3 and through sleeve I6 and friction bushing I'I, shift therod upwardly as seen in Fig. 5 or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, thuscausing the contact element to close the up" circuit-4 as indicated indotted lines. As the car moves upwardly the friction bushing I'l slideson the rod I and holds the circuit closed.

The operator may at any time reverse the movement of the lever l andshift the rod in the 'opposite direction to break the up circuit andarrest the movement of'the car A, or if desired, he may shift the leverto its other extreme position and close the down circuit 5 whereupon thecar will be moved downwardly. When the car reaches either of its extremepositions the rod l is automatically shifted as above described, thecircuit is broken and the car is brought to rest.

The mechanism is so designed and constructed that the direction ofmovement of the translatable member corresponds to the direction ofmovement of the hand grasp 9 and the bushing I1. This not only avoidsconfusion to the operator but it also causes such movement to exert aforce on the rod in a direction which tends to hold the powercontrollerin a position to effect such movement.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that I have provided an improvedcontrol mechanism which may have a wide range of applications, which isconstantly under the control of the operator and which will beautomatically actuated to arrest the movement of the translated memberwhen it has reached any one of a plurality of predetermined positions.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim is:

1. A control mechanism for an elevator car comprising an axially movablecontrol element; means holding said element against lateral movement;power control mechanism connected with said element and adapted to beactuated by endwise movements thereof; a manually actuable membercarried by said car; and a constant frictional connection between saidmanually actuable member and said element whereby the latter may bemoved endwise by the former.

2. A control mechanism for an elevator car, comprising an axiallymovable rigid control element; means holding said element againstlateral movement; power control means connected with said element andadapted to be actuatedby endwise movement thereof; a manually actuablemember carried by said car; a constant frictional connection betweensaid manually actuable member and said control element whereby thelatter may be shifted axially in one direction by the former to renderthe power drive effective to move said car and means actuated by themovement of said car to shift said control element axially in theopposite direction to render said power drive inefiective.

3. A control mechanism for elevators or the like having a power drive,comprising a translatable car; an axially movable control rod extendingsubstantially parallel with the movement of said car and adjacentthereto; means holding said rod against lateral movement; meansconnected with said rod and actuated by the movement thereof to controlsaid power drive; a manually actuable control lever carried by said car;a constantly acting frictional connection between said lever and saidrod whereby the rod may be shifted manually in one direction to rendersaid power drive effective to move said car relative to said rod and inopposition to said friction; and means actuated by the movement of saidcar to shift said rod in the opposite direction to render the powerdrive ineffective.

4. In combination with an elevator mechanism comprising a car andelectrically actuated means for moving said car to a plurality ofstations, a control mechanism including an electric switch forcontrolling the action of said electrically actuated means; an endwisemovable control rod arranged parallel to the. movement of said car andextending'from one station toanother; means holding said rod againstlateral movement; an operativeconnection between said rod and saidswitch whereby the latter may be actuated by axial movements of theformer; and means including a constantly acting friction device engagingsaid rod and manual means connected with said friction device andcarried by said car for shifting said rod axially at will.

5. In combination with a translatable member and power means tomove saidmember, a control mechanism for said power means including a manuallyactuable element carried by said member; an endwise movable rod.supported in bearings adjacent the path of movement of said member andparallel thereto, said bearings holding saidirod'against lateralmovement; a constantly acting frictional driving connection between saidmanually actuable element and said rod whereby the-latter may be shiftedaxially by movements 'ofthe former in all of the various positions ofsaid member; a control device for rendering said power means effectiveor ineffective to translate said member; and an operative connectionbetween said rod and said control device. e

6. A control mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which the frictionalconnection between the manually actuable member and said control elementcomprises a constantly acting friction bushing slidably mounted on saidcontrol element and connected to be shifted by said member, said bushinghaving suilicientfriction on said control element to cause said elementto be shifted by movement of said manually'actuable element butinsufficient to prevent power movement of said bushing along saidcontrol element. 7

7. A control mechanism for a power actuated translatable member,comprising an axially movable control rod; means holding said controlrod against lateral movement; power control mechanism connected withsaid rod and adapted to be actuated by end-wise movements thereof; amanually actuable lever fulcrumed on said translatable member; asleevesurrounding said rod and connected with said lever to be shifted axiallythereby; and a friction bushing carried by said sleeve and grasping saidrod to move said rod axially when said sleeve is shifted by said lever,thereby to initiate a movement of said translatable member.

8. A control mechanism for a power actuated translatable member,comprising an axially movable control rod; power control mechanismconnected with said rod and adapted to be actuated by end-wise movementsthereof; a manually actuable element carried by said translatablemember; a sleeve having a tapered bore surrounding said rod; anoperative connection between said element and said sleeve for shiftingthe latter axially by movements of the former; a tapered frictionbushing fitted within said bore and frictionally engaging said rod; andmeans for adjustingsaid bushing in said bore to vary the friction onsaid rod.

9. A control mechanism as set forth in claim '7 in which means also isprovided for overcoming the friction on said rod and automaticallyshifting the rod in a direction opposite to' that in which it wasmanually shifted, thereby to arrest the movement of said translatablemember.

10. A control mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which the frictionbushing is made of relatively hard wood.

11. A control mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which the frictionbushing is made of relatively hard wood impregnated with oil.

12. A control mechanism as set forth in claim 8, in which the frictionbushing is split in the direction of its length, and the adjusting meanstherefor comprises an adjusting nut threaded in said sleeve and having aportion engaging said bushing.

13. A control mechanism as set forth in claim 8 in which the frictionbushing is made of two relatively movable parts separated in thedirection of the length of the rod and the adjusting means actssimultaneously on both parts to adjust them lengthwise within thetapered bore in the sleeve.

14. In combination with a translatable member and power means to movesaid member, a control mechanism 'for said power means including amanually actuable element carried by said translatable member; anaxially movable control element supported adjacent the path of movementof said member and parallel thereto; means engaging said control elementadjacent its ends to hold it against lateral movement; stantly actingimpositive driving connection between said manually actuable element andsaid control element by means of which the latter may be shifted axiallyby movements of the former in all of the various positions of saidmember; a control device for said power means; and an operativeconnection between said control element and said power control device.

15. A control mechanism for an elevator car comprising a movable rodextending substantially parallel to the path of movement of said car;means holding said rod against lateral movea COD.-

ment; a power control mechanism connected with said rod and adapted tobe actuated by movements thereof; a manually actuable member carried bysaid car; and a constantly operative connection between said member andsaid rod to move the latter, thereby to actuate said control mechanism.

16. A control mechanism for an electrically actuated elevator carcomprising arod extending substantially parallel to the path of movementof the car; means holding said rod against lateral movement; an electriccircuit including a control switch, at one end of said rod, comprising afixed element and a cooperating movable element on said rod forcontrolling the movement of the car; a manually actuable element carriedby said car; and means for moving said rod by movements of said manuallyactuable element. 7 o

17. A control mechanism for an elevator car comprising a reversibleelectric motor connected to actuate said car; a movable control rodextending lengthwise of the movement of the car; means holding said rodagainst lateral movement; a forward and a reverse electric circuitconnected with said motor; a switch connected with said electriccircuits; said switch including two fixed elements each of which isconnected with one of said electric circuits and a cooperating movableelement carried by said control rod, said movable element having twooperative positions, one in contact with each of said fixed elements andone neutral position intermediate said fixed elements; and manuallyactuable means carried by the car to move said rod thereby selectivelyto move said movable element to .any one of its three positions.

FRIEDERICH MULLER.

